The US Department of Defense released video showing extensive damage at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida. The base took a direct hit by Hurricane Michael, causing damage that one official described as "catastrophic." (Oct. 14)
AP

An airplane hanger at Tyndall Air Force Base is damaged from Hurricane Michael in Panama City on Thursday.(Photo11: David Goldman, AP)

Experts have said up to 22 of the F-22 Raptors, which cost an estimated $330 million each, could have been left behind in hangars as Hurricane Michael tore through the region. The base, which is home to 55 of the world's most-advanced fighter jets, flew 33 of the planes away from the storm to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

"Currently we do not know the extent of any damage to the F-22s left behind due to maintenance or safety reasons, but more information will be available once crews are able to access the hangars and assess the aircraft," said U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, whose district includes nearby Eglin Air Force Base.

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A military police officer walks near a destroyed gate in Tyndall Air Force Base, in Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael on October 12, 2018 . - Rescue teams using sniffer dogs carried out a grim search for victims of Hurricane Michael on Friday amid fears that the death toll from the monster storm, which currently stands at 11, could rise. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, AFP/Getty Images

Airmen from the 821st Contingency Response Group setup tent city at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Oct. 12, 2018. The contingency response team deployed to assess damage and establish conditions for the re-initiation of airflow, bringing much needed equipment, supplies and personnel for the rebuilding of the base in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. AMC equipment and personnel stand by across the nation to provide even more support upon request Tech. Sgt. Liliana Moreno/ Tech. Sgt. Liliana Moreno

A soldier stands guard at the damaged entrance to Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, in the aftermath of hurricane Michael. The devastation inflicted by Hurricane Michael came into focus Thursday with rows upon rows of homes found smashed to pieces, and rescue crews began making their way into the stricken areas in hopes of accounting for hundreds of people who may have stayed behind. David Goldman, AP

An airplane hanger at Tyndall Air Force Base is damaged from hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018. The devastation inflicted by Hurricane Michael came into focus Thursday with rows upon rows of homes found smashed to pieces, and rescue crews began making their way into the stricken areas in hopes of accounting for hundreds of people who may have stayed behind. David Goldman, AP

MEXICO BEACH, FL - OCTOBER 12: A damaged airplane hanger is seen on the grounds of Tyndall Air Force Base after Hurricane Michael passed through the area on October 12, 2018 in Mexico Beach, Florida. The hurricane hit the panhandle area with category 4 winds causing major damage. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Joe Raedle, Getty Images

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Retired Air Force Col. John "JV" Venable, a senior research fellow for defense policy at the Heritage Foundation and a former commander of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flight demonstration team, said it makes sense that the Air Force is not saying exactly how many of the jets were left behind.

"The Air Force does not want to reveal its weakness to anyone else," he said.

Watching the scenes of destruction at Tyndall and knowing that the F-22s were left behind, "it made my heart dip a bit," Venable said.

But moving jets that were not flyable out of the Michael's path would not have been a realistic option, he said.

"It would have been too large of a muscle movement in too short of time," he said.

A 95th FighterSquadron pilot from Tyndall Air Force Base begins preparations to fly an F-22 Raptor, the Air Force’s newest fighter, at Ämari Air Base in Estonia in September.(Photo11: Tech. Sgt. Ryan Crane / U.S. Air Force)

Venable said the F-22s are too large to have been transported on cargo planes or by flatbed trucks and such an operation would have required base personnel to stay behind and risk their lives as the monster storm advanced.

"There are certain things you cannot control and the weather is one of them," said Venable, who credited base leaders with safely evacuating 11,000 airmen, base personnel and their families.

Air Force officials have said they should be able to salvage some component parts of the jets, but Venable said the biggest concern will be whether seawater infiltrated the inside of the planes.

"I am afraid that is where the most significant damage will be done," he said.

Retired Navy Capt. Sterling Gilliam, an experienced Navy pilot and director of the National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, said it isn't uncommon for some aircraft to not be ready to fly out as part of a hurricane evacuation because of maintenance issues.

"In this case, the larger number of aircraft non-mission capable (22 of 55 total F22s assigned to Tyndall) highlights a larger issue of overall fleet-wide F-22 Raptor readiness," he said.

Nelson, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, and U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Panama City, have sent a letter to Trump urging him to commit to rebuilding Tyndall. Trump toured the damage at Tyndall on Monday.

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President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump shares a moment with Barbara Brown during a visiti to a hurricane relief site in Lynn Haven, Florida Monday afternoon October 15, 2018. The President, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump shares a moment with Barbara Brown during a visiti to a hurricane relief site in Lynn Haven, Florida Monday afternoon October 15, 2018. The President, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump shares a moment with Barbara Brown during a visiti to a hurricane relief site in Lynn Haven, Florida Monday afternoon October 15, 2018. The President, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump shares a moment with Barbara Brown during a visiti to a hurricane relief site in Lynn Haven, Florida Monday afternoon October 15, 2018. The President, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, and FEMA director Brock Long, visited the city of Lynn Haven, Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael Monday, October 15, 2018. A large parking area behind the devastated police department and City Hall buildings became a temporary location for local volunteers and people to compile and distribute supplies, food and assistance. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

Nelson said previously that he expects Tyndall to remain open. He said any fears that Tyndall might be closed in the wake of the storm, as was Homestead Air Force Base in South Florida after Hurricane Andrew in 1992, are unfounded.

"(Tyndall) is a vital component of our national defense," he said while on the ground in the hurricane zone Sunday.